Cookie Swap: Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year

$19.99 U.S.

Cookie Swap

About the Author

Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year

Julia M. Usher is a celebrated pastry chef and food writer who has designed extraordinary desserts for such magazines as Better Homes and Gardens, Fine Cooking, Bon Appétit, and Modern Bride, and such books as Vera Wang on Weddings and For the Love of Food. Usher is a former Contributing Editor at Chocolatier magazine, a James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards finalist, and a Direc­tor of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). She divides her time between St. Louis, Missouri, and Stonington, Maine.

Steve Adams loves making beautiful photos of all kinds of food and beverages for companies like Nestlé, Anheuser-Busch, Bacardi, Panera, and Kraft. Steve is active in IACP and the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) and has taught studio photography at the university level and the Maine Media Workshops. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri.

This creative book has become my new gold-standard guide to cookie decorating. Julia Usher’s whimsical designs and ideas make this book as fun as it is informative.

Usher

— Tish Boyle, Editor, Dessert Professional and author of

The Good Cookie

Julia Usher’s over-the-top cookies and detailed, theme-inspired swaps promise joyful sharing and sweet memories for year-round entertaining.

— Flo Braker, author of Baking for All Occasions, The Simple Art of Perfect Baking, and Sweet Miniatures

Cover design by Jocelyn Foye Cover photos © 2009 Steve Adams

Julia Usher’s gorgeous and doable ideas inspire us not only to trade cookies at holiday time but the whole year through. Filled to the brim with mouthwatering recipes and delectable photographs, Cookie Swap is a sweet treat to savor and celebrate.

— Nancy Wall Hopkins, Deputy Food and Entertaining Editor, Better Homes and Gardens

Entertaining/cookbook

Cookie Swap

Julia M. Usher

Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year Julia M. Usher Photographs by Steve Adams

Photographs by Steve Adams

Cookie Swap

Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year

Cookie swaps are not just for Christmas anymore! Cookie Swap: Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year shows that the cookie swap is perfectly suited not only to holiday gatherings but also to garden parties, showers, children’s birthdays, summer get-togethers, and more. A cookie swap has all the same traits that make a potluck so effortless to host. Plus, the idea of a party all about cookies is simply irresistible, no matter what the season.

As talented baker Julia M. Usher reveals, cookies are infinitely adaptable to different party themes and times of year, resulting in scores of delightful possibilities. Among Cookie Swap ’s eight parties are a kids’ summer bash, with Lemonade Slices and Chocolate Chip Watermelon ­Wedges; a spooky Halloween fest, featuring Witches’ ­Fingers and Friendly Ghosts; and a classic Christmas swap with Hot Buttered Rum Meltaways, Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti, and Eggnog Cheesecake Streusel Bars.

With dozens of decorating and invitation ideas, over 50 delectable recipes, mouthwatering photos, and tips on hosting the best swap possible, Cookie Swap will inspire readers to make the sharing of cookies the centerpiece of every event.

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cookie swap

Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year

Julia M. Usher Photographs by Steve Adams

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In memory of my sweet Dad. The only thing bigger than his appetite for learning was his unconditional support. Dad, I miss you.

First Edition 14 13 12 11 10

15 14 13 12 11 10 9

Text © 2009 Julia M. Usher Photographs © 2009 Steve Adams All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except brief portions quoted for purpose of review.

Published by Gibbs Smith P.O. Box 667 Layton, Utah 84041 Orders: 1.800.835.4993 www.gibbs-smith.com Designed by Jocelyn Foye Printed and bound in China Gibbs Smith books are printed on either recycled, 100% post-consumer waste, FSC-certified papers or on paper produced from a 100% certified sustainable forest/controlled wood source.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Usher, Julia M. Cookie swap : creative treats to share throughout the year / Julia M. Usher ; photographs by Steve Adams. — 1st ed. p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN-13: 978-1-4236-0378-8 ISBN-10: 1-4236-0378-8 1. Cookies. 2. Entertaining. I. Title.

TX772.U75 2009 641.8’654—dc22 2008054224

Contents 7 . . . . . . . . Introduction 10 . . . . . . . That’s How the Cookie Crumbles:

Cookie Baking Tips

15 . . . . . . . An Affair of the Heart 29. . . . . . . Spring Fling 47. . . . . . . Not Your Garden-Variety

Garden Party

65. . . . . . . A Vision in White 81 . . . . . . . Fun in the Sun 95. . . . . . . Cookies Cum Laude 109. . . . . . Cookie Monster 127 . . . . . . Deck the Halls 142 . . . . . . Cookie-Cutter Approaches:

Basic Recipes

152 . . . . . . The Sugar on Top:

Decorating Techniques

156 . . . . . . Resources 158. . . . . . Index

That’s HOW THE COOKIE CRUMBLES R

ead this chapter, and my cookies will never throw you any curve balls. Here you’ll find specific tips to help you master each of the seven basic cookie types in this book, as well as general recommendations that apply to every recipe.

1. Bar: A cookie formed by baking the dough or batter in one large block in a baking or jelly-roll pan. The block is then cut into individual portions.

• Avoid using pans of a different size than specified. The size of the pan, and consequently the depth to which the batter fills the pan, can have a big impact on baking time and bar texture.

• To make the matter of pan size easy for you, I use only a few standard pans in this book: a 9 x 13 x 2-inch, a 9 x 9 x 2-inch, a 10 x 15 x 1-inch (also referred to as a jelly-roll pan), and a 10 x 15 x 2-inch pan (sometimes called a roasting pan and most often available in glass rather than metal).

• You may substitute pan types (i.e., glass for metal, or vice versa), but bars baked in glass will cook more quickly—all else being the same. If you substitute glass for metal, be sure to check the recipes for doneness a few minutes earlier than indicated.

• If you’re sensitive to the aesthetics of what you eat, then never skip instructions for lining the pans. Lining with foil or parchment paper allows the bars to be removed from the pan in one block, without breakage. And with the pan out of the way, it’s much easier to cut the block into neat portions.

• Smooth out any big wrinkles in foil-lined pans before you fill them.

(Otherwise, the bars can bake into the wrinkles, making it harder to later remove the foil.) The easiest way to smooth wrinkles, and to “seat” the foil flush against the sides of the pan, is to gently press another pan of the same size into the one that’s lined.

• Many of my bar recipes call for a crust that is pressed into the bottom of the pan. After pressing the crust, it’s always a good idea to level it with a small offset spatula (see “FAQ,” p. 146). The crust will bake more evenly this way; plus, the bars will be more uniform once cut.

• Trimming the cookie block before cutting it into smaller portions is completely optional. However, removing crusty, sloped edges will result in bars of more uniform shape and texture. Note: The yields in my recipes assume that all cookie blocks are trimmed before cutting.

• Bars will stay fresh longer if cut just before you plan to serve them. In the meantime, leave them uncut in the pan, tightly covered in foil. To keep cut edges from drying out, cover them with plastic wrap or parchment paper before covering the pan.

• For truly professional looking portions, cut the cookie block with a sharp knife wiped clean with a warm, damp cloth between slices. Don’t slide the knife; instead, cut straight down by applying pressure on top of the blade. If a recipe requires cutting through solid chocolate (such as chocolate chips on top of bars), it helps to heat the knife over a hot stove burner before cutting.

Raspberry-Truffle Brownie Bars (recipe, p. 20).

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2. Drop: A cookie formed by dropping the dough off a measuring spoon or by portioning it with a scoop. Drop cookies are great cookies for beginners, as they are arguably the easiest and quickest type to shape.

• For the sake of expediency, my recipes call for dropping the dough as soon as it is mixed. You can always make the dough in advance and chill it, but you need to be aware that the temperature of the dough will affect the shape and texture of the end cookie.

• Chilled dough tends to spread less than freshly mixed dough baked the same time; it will also bake to a softer texture. To achieve the results described in my recipes, it’s best to bring chilled dough to room temperature before baking, unless otherwise specified.

• Portioning the dough with a round scoop, aka a disher, not only results in the most uniform cookies but is also quicker and less messy than portioning with measuring spoons. Dishers can be found in most kitchenware stores in sizes ranging from about 1 inch in diameter (1 teaspoon) to 2¾ inches in diameter (8 tablespoons). You may also find disher size referred to on a numerical scale—#100 corresponding to the smallest and #8 to the largest. For instance, a round #30 disher—a size commonly used for big cookies—is 1 7⁄8 inches in diameter, or about 2 tablespoons. Stand-in: If you don’t own a disher, my recipes always provide a measuring-spoon equivalent.

• In addition to being very easy, drop cookies are also incredibly accommodating. If you like the basic dough but would rather substitute other mix-ins (nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruit, or something else that moves you), feel free. As long as you don’t alter the ingredients that make up the dough, a winning variation is virtually guaranteed.

3. Hand-shaped: A cookie formed in whole, or in part, by shaping it with your hands. These cookies are often hybrids, insofar as the dough might first be dropped or rolled before the hand-shaping takes place.

• The key to a nicely formed hand-shaped cookie is, ironically, not to handle it too much. The warmth of your hands will quickly soften the dough, especially one with a high butter content, making it sticky and difficult to shape. As a general rule, work quickly and clean your hands regularly with cold tap water to keep them cool and damp. (Dough is less likely to cling to slightly damp hands.)

• Dusting your hands lightly with flour can also prevent sticking.

However, only dust them if dampening does not work, or if the recipe specifically instructs you to do so, as excess flour can have a drying and toughening effect on the dough.

• If even after dampening and dusting your hands, the dough is too

For Every Cookie Recipe . . .

• Look before you leap. To save time in the long run, read the recipe from start to finish before you start, and measure and prep all ingredients as they’re described in the ingredient list.

Some recipes call for toasted and cooled nuts, others for softened butter, etc.

• Heed orders. Pay attention to the order of operations in the ingredient list. Any operation, such as “sifted” or “chopped,” that is listed after the ingredient should be performed after that ingredient is measured. For instance, if a recipe calls for “1 cup flour, sifted,” you should sift the flour after measuring it.

If, instead, the recipe calls for “1 cup sifted flour,” you should sift before measuring. In the latter case, you’ll end up with less flour by weight. Though this distinction may seem minor, the difference of even an ounce of flour can have a large impact on the texture and moistness of baked goods.

• Mind your measures. In baking, winging measurements rarely works. To make my recipes come out just as I intended, always measure dry ingredients by spooning them into the measuring cup and leveling the top with a straight-sided spatula or knife.

Plunging the measuring cup into the flour bin compresses the flour, which will leave you with more flour by weight than desired—and, in turn, a heavier, drier product.

• Don’t take sides. If your cookie sheet has sides of any height, turn it over and bake on the back. This way, the cookies will bake at closer to the same rate. (Because metal is an efficient heat conductor, cookies that flank the sides of the cookie sheet will brown more rapidly than those in the middle.) It’s also easier to slide the cookies onto cooling racks when there are no sides to get in the way.

• Bulk up. Use large (13 x 18-inch) heavy-gauge aluminized-steel jelly-roll pans for cookie sheets whenever you can. The lightcolored, thick metal surface encourages uniform browning, and the reinforced rim minimizes warping of the pan over time. Plus, the generous size accommodates more cookies.

• Give your cookies space. To ensure even baking and browning, don’t crowd the cookies on the cookie sheet, bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven (unless otherwise specified), and rotate the sheet midway through baking, if needed.

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AN AFFAIR OF THE HEART T

here’s no better way to woo your special someone than with this stylish cookie swap, a couples’ affair in celebration of Valentine’s Day. With an abundance of chocolate, flowers (albeit cookie ones), and love notes passing in unexpected places, this party combines the best of what the holiday traditionally offers with contemporary flair. If you’re looking for a soft touch, you won’t find it here. This swap is an ardent embrace, grabbing guests with its high-voltage hues, adult ingredients, and of-the-moment party favors.

The romance starts with the invitation—oversized heart cookies delivered to guests in velvet-trimmed candy boxes. The courtship unfolds at the event, where guests are seduced by a bevy of cookies owing their appeal to intoxicating liqueurs and proven aphrodisiacs such as chocolate, figs, and berries. Other cookies win guests over with their thematic styling. Colorful bouquets of heart cookies pop from gumball-filled vases, and flashes of fiery paper sneak out of Valentine fortune cookies, teasing guests with predictions of love, fulfilled and unrequited.

As this tête-à-tête with sweets draws to a close, guests receive CDs burned with the party’s recipes and chic red shadow boxes filled with cookies—two touches completely in sync with the party’s modern theme. Heartache is sure to follow the end of this affair, but these lovely gestures are the perfect cure.

Cause to Celebrate: Valentine’s Day, an engagement, a special anniversary, a bridal shower, a birthday for the romantic at heart, a reunion of loved ones.

Clockwise from top, Chocolate-Fig Oatmeal Bars, Raspberry-Truffle Brownie Bars, Brown Sugar–Pecan Sweethearts, and Sweet Note-things. Not pictured: Brandied Cherry–Chocolate Sin Cookies.

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Gingerbread Valentine Invitations To make: Adhere decorative papers to fit the tops and sides of heart-shaped candy boxes using spray adhesive.

For fabric-covered lids, mount the fabric first with spray adhesive and then tack the edges under the lid using a glue gun. Heavier trims and ribbons are best tacked with a glue gun as well.

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Bake Cutout Cookie Gingerbread hearts (p. 146) and decorate as desired (see Royal Icing, p. 151, and cookie decorating techniques, p. 152). Place the cookies in the boxes and then again in padded envelopes before mailing. The party’s date and time can be written with Royal Icing directly on the face of large hearts or printed on a paper insert or a ribbon tied to the box.

On Cloud Nine To make: Fill a large (6- to 8-inch-diameter) vase with gumballs, sanding sugar, chocolate chips, jelly beans, or foil-covered chocolate hearts, and set a larger Styrofoam disk on top. It will be easier to apply the cotton candy to the disk if the disk is elevated and stationary.

Because cotton candy quickly attracts moisture, clouds are

best assembled a few hours before party time. Secure large tufts of candy to the disk with toothpicks, handling the candy as little as possible to keep it from matting.

Nestle decorated heart and cupid cookies in the clouds; then set the vases out to be seen—and tasted! Just remember to tell guests to remove all toothpicks before eating any of the candy. (See page 156 for gumball and cotton candy sources.)

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Bottom left: Why splurge on red roses when cookie bouquets can serve as both party décor and party favor? Fix cookie hearts onto the ends of long twigs with thick Royal Icing and arrange them in tall vases on your table. When it’s time to say farewell, tie up the flowers with ribbon and offer up one lovely bunch to each guest.

Top left: Shadow boxes ordinarily used to display photos and keepsakes provide a captivating view of cookies, especially when jazzed with shiny red paint and personalized name plates.

Top right: Marbled cookies, such as these hearts, have all the appeal of intricate Italian endpapers found in fancy books. Though they may look complicated, they aren’t the least bit time-consuming. For marbling technique details, see page 152.

Bottom right: Burn the swap’s recipes onto punchy pink CDs and wrap them as takehome gifts in jewel cases spiffed up with polka-dotted papers and striped ribbons.

Recipes can also be written on note cards backed with flashy papers and tucked into envelopes decorated with the same (pictured back).

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Raspberry-Truffle Brownie Bars Makes 2 dozen (1¾- to 2-inch) squares

In this triple-decker brownie, the season’s favorite aphrodisiac factors into three places: a buttery crumb crust, a dense chocolate-raspberry filling, and a glossy ganache on top. Note: This brownie is only moderately sweet, so it is best reserved for adults.

Complexity:

2

Active Time:

Type: Bar

Prep Talk: Store unglazed brownies at room temperature up to 4 to 5 days. Keep them covered (and uncut) in the pan until ready to glaze. Once glazed, the brownies must be refrigerated. (The glaze is perishable.) Because the brownie layer will harden if refrigerated too long, the glaze is best applied 1½ to 2 hours before 20

serving. The brownies will be softest and most flavorful if served at room temperature.

Cocoa Shortbread Crust 1½ cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour ½ cup sifted superfine sugar 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder ¼ teaspoon salt ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1 large egg yolk Raspberry Brownie Filling ¼ cup (½ stick) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces 6 ounces premium semisweet chocolate (see "FAQ," p. 150), finely chopped

2¼ ounces premium unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped ½ cup sifted superfine sugar 3 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten 4½ tablespoons Chambord or other premium raspberry liqueur 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract ¾ cup all-purpose flour

vanilla extract. Stir in the flour, mixing just until smooth and shiny.

(Do not overmix, or the batter may break.) Pour the batter on top of the crust and spread into an even layer with a small offset spatula (see "FAQ," p. 146).

5. Spoon the jam evenly over the top. With a small offset spatula, spread it into a thin layer that completely covers the brownie filling.

¾ cup seedless red raspberry jam, stirred to loosen (for topping) Raspberry Truffle Glaze ½ recipe Ganache (p. 149), chocolate increased to 8 ounces and corn syrup increased to 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon Chambord or other premium raspberry liqueur Decoration (optional) About 2 ounces premium milk chocolate, melted 1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 1-inch overhang around the top edge of the pan. Lightly coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Mix the Cocoa Shortbread Crust. Combine the flour, superfine sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Using a fork or your hands, work in the butter and egg yolk until the mixture is uniformly moistened but crumbly. (There should be no dry spots.)

Press the dough into an even ¼-inch layer on the bottom of the prepared pan.

3. Bake the crust 14 to 15 minutes, or until dull on top and slightly puffy but still soft. Do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack while you prepare the filling.

4. Prepare the Raspberry Brownie Filling. Combine the butter, semisweet chocolate, and unsweetened chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water. Stir as needed until the chocolate and butter are just melted. Remove from heat and gently whisk in the superfine sugar, followed by the eggs, Chambord, and

6. Bake the brownies about 20 minutes. Do not overbake. When done, the brownies will be set through to the middle and slightly puffed around the edges. A cake tester inserted into the center will come out with very damp crumbs on it. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before glazing or storing. (The brownie will set further upon cooling.)

7. Prepare and apply the Raspberry Truffle Glaze. Prepare ½ recipe Ganache, increasing the chocolate to 8 ounces and the corn syrup to 1 tablespoon. Stir in the Chambord at the end. Pour the ganache evenly over the brownie. Gently tilt or shake the pan so the ganache completely coats the top.

8. Decorate (optional). For a marbled top, work quickly while the ganache is still fluid. Fill a parchment pastry cone (p. 153) with the melted milk chocolate. Pipe thin lines ¼ to ½ inch apart across the ganache. Draw a toothpick (or cake tester) back and forth through the chocolate and ganache to create a marbled pattern.

9. Set the pan in the refrigerator for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the ganache is firm enough to cleanly cut. (Do not overchill or the brownies will harden.)

10. Remove the brownies from the pan in one block by gently pulling up on the foil overhang, and place directly on a cutting board. Remove all foil and trim any uneven edges before cutting the block into 1¾- to 2-inch squares. For the neatest cuts, slice the bars while the ganache is firm and wipe the knife clean with a warm, damp cloth between slices. Serve at room temperature.

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Spring Fling N

ow here’s a party that will put spring in your step—and just in time for the Easter holiday. If jellybeans and foil-covered chocolate eggs no longer strike you as interesting Easter basket fare, you’re in the right place. At this swap, cookies double as birds’ nests, rabbits, and spring bonnets, offering plenty of creative alternatives to bland massproduced sweets.

Children will love the many fanciful details, from the invitation—a set of nested eggboxes—to the gingerbread butterflies and cookie cobblestone trail. For added amusement, there are cookies galore just waiting to be turned into kids' projects and games. Stage a tabletop Easter egg hunt by concealing egg-shaped cookies deep in the wheat grass, or set out nonpareils, fondant, and a rainbow of icing colors, and let everyone decorate his or her own shortbread Easter hats.

The parting gift, a gingerbread basket complete with edible handle and bow, is one project that’s clearly designed for the seasoned baker. Even so, kids will happily lend a hand— especially if “helping” means sneaking a piece of the cookie basket now and again.

Cause to Celebrate: Easter; a springtime birthday, especially for the younger set (kids will adore all of the cute cookie rabbits and marshmallow chicks); the arrival of spring; just for the fun of it.

Clockwise from upper left nest: Bunny Trail Mix Cookies, Lemon–Poppy Seed Cottontail Cookies, Shortbread Easter Bonnets, and Kataifi Birds’ Nests, along with gingerbread bunnies and butterflies.

Not pictured: Pink Spritz Daisy Cookies and Quick Cutout Marshmallow Peeps.

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Not Your Garden-Variety Garden Party W

ith April showers finally past, May beckons us to throw open our doors and to rejoice in the start of the outdoor party season. And what more fitting celebration than this teatime cookie swap? Set in the garden and blooming with references to flowers and herbs, it looks and tastes as if it is the handiwork of Mother Nature.

The party theme is planted with the save-the-date cards, replicas of old-time seed packs. Closer to the party, gingerbread May Day baskets are left dangling on guests’ doors. Filled with fresh-picked blossoms and specifics of the upcoming fête, these edible invitations both enchant and inform.

At the front gate, a garden pot overgrown with gingerbread roses welcomes party­ goers. Uncommon herb and flower-scented cookies appear down the path, set on pots and planters rooted in a moss-covered tabletop. Shaped mostly into dainty petits fours, these treats allow guests to sample guilt-free. The perfect indulgence for an elegant tea!

The pleasure continues even as the afternoon sun fades. Contented guests file the party recipes into empty seed packets and wind their way back along the path. As the gate closes, the hostess bids farewell with leftover cookies arranged in lovely fabriccovered flower pots.

Cause to Celebrate: May Day; Mothers’ Day; a springtime birthday; the much anticipated end of a long winter; Earth Day; a gathering of good friends for refreshment and renewal; a bridal shower; a celebration of new beginnings—a baby, a career change, a first home!

Clockwise from the teacup caddy at top: Mixed Seed Wafers, Lavender Shortbread (among decorated sugar cookies), Rosemary Blonde Brownies, Anise-Scented Springerle, Cocoa-Mint Sandwich Cookies, and Lemon-Thyme Bonbons (center). Not pictured: Rosewater Marguerites.

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a vision in white T

he months of May and June rarely come and go without at least one invitation to a bridal shower. While even newcomers to the wedding circuit know the basic shower routine quite well, there’s no reason to let a proven party formula lull you into complacency. If ever there’s a time to pull out all the stops, a once-in-a-lifetime wedding celebration is it. And this inventive cookie theme—a marriage of high style and sophisticated sweets—is just the way to give ho-hum bridal protocol a delicious and much-needed lift.

With soft hues, gracious styling, and subtle nut and citrus flavors, the cookies couldn’t be better suited to this classy affair. Likewise, only unique—and taste-full—party games surface here. Make a friendly contest of cookie decorating by asking each partygoer to frost a cookie cake-topper shaped like a bride and groom. After the guest of honor declares the “Bride’s Choice,” give her an added win: tell her she can cherish the topper as long as she likes. (The simple storage tips on page 67 will keep her topper pristine well after it graces the wedding cake.)

When the bride opens her presents, sweeten the day even more. Turn the tables and shower guests with gifts too. Bejeweled photo albums used to file the party’s recipes make wonderful keepsakes, as do cardboard boxes transformed into wedding cakes.

Your friends and family will marvel over the luscious trims on the boxes, but the best icing of all will be the cookies they discover inside.

Cause to Celebrate: A bridal shower, an intimate wedding reception or engagement party, a special wedding anniversary (especially silver or gold), a romantic couples’ party.

Clockwise from bottom, Tiers of Joy, Bridal Veil Lace Wafers, Under Her Thumb(print) Cookies, Sugar Between the Sheets, Enduring Love Cookies, and (center) My Better Half Biscotti. Tiers of Joy (bottom center) and monogrammed sugar cookies (bottom right) bring in the requisite “something blue.”

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fun in the sun I

t’s steaming hot, and the long, lazy days of summer are settling into a slow and steady rhythm that calls for chilling out with family and friends. Supplement your next backyard barbeque or picnic at the shore with this whimsical swap, splashed with playful colors and sunny citrus flavors.

From the sunglasses and bathing suits strewn on the edible beach to the hot dogs and burgers at rest on the grill, this party's treats deliver a generous helping of summertime cheer. For more fun and games, you needn’t look beyond the cookies. In advance of the party, hide mismatched pairs of flip-flop cookies in the yard; then give each guest the other half of several sets. The challenge: the first to find all the right partners gets to fill her beach tote with cookies before the rest. Alternatively, bury well-wrapped cookies in piles of bread or cookie crumbs, hand kids plastic shovels, and let the search for sunken treasures begin. For children who are more artistic than adventurous, fill plastic squeeze bottles with red and yellow Italian Buttercream and watch the creative fireworks as they add their own fixin’s to Top Dogs and Chocolate-Chai Burgers.

Whether your summer entertaining philosophy tends toward low-key or all-out, you’re in luck. This party is infinitely adaptable too. To scale back, skip the games. Not simple enough? Then let go of the painted sand-pail displays or the customized beach totes for carrying leftovers home. After all, this is one swap where paper plates and plastic cups fit right in.

Cause to Celebrate: Memorial Day, summer solstice, Fourth of July, a family reunion, a July or August birthday (especially for a young child), Labor Day.

Clockwise from top left, Lemon-Lime Sugar Cookies, S'mores Brownies, Lemonade Slices, Chocolate-Chai Burgers, and Top Dogs. Not pictured: Chocolate Chip Watermelon Wedges and Piña Colada Beach Balls.

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Cookies Cum Laude N

ow that summer vacation is over and the kids are back in school, moms can finally enjoy some long-awaited downtime—in between carpools, PTA meetings, and helping with homework, that is. Make the most of your extra minutes with this back-to-school cookie swap. After all, there are few other events where you can relax with friends and simultaneously stock up on afternoon snacks for your kids.

This party’s lesson in entertaining begins with an invitation crafted from a recycled report card—a touch that’s sure to earn high marks in creativity. At the swap, the education continues. Vintage lunchboxes stand in for the usual plates; copies of class portraits serve as lunchbox liners; and a blackboard and scattered workbook pages form a patchwork “tablecloth.” Fast, no-trouble cookies dominate the desktop display and fulfill the prerequisites for multi-tasking moms. Loaded with chocolate, peanut butter, caramel, and other ingredients that kids love, these goodies are just as likely to please the party­ goers as the folks waiting at home.

To make this swap even smarter, hand out compact composition books or pencil pouches filled with blank index cards. As guests gather their cookies to go, they’ll be happy to have paper nearby for jotting down recipes from their baker-friends.

Cause to Celebrate: Back-to-school, an autumn birthday (especially for scholarly sorts), Labor Day, a class reunion, a graduation.

Clockwise from lower right, The Brown(ie)-Noser; Gold Star Macaroons; Teacher’s Pet; No-Hassle, No-Bake Oatmeal Fudge Cookies; Brain Teaser; and (center) Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches.

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Cookie Monster W

ho says scary can’t be sweet? Whether your occasion is Halloween, an October birthday, or simply the appearance of the full moon, this cookie swap is sure to deliver the necessary suspense.

Before the party begins, cast a spell with the invitation. Tiny wooden “coffins” lure guests to peek inside, where two “bloodshot eyes”—truffles in disguise—accompany a tattered slip of paper with the swap’s date, place, and time. Continue the party in the same vein with a startling array of sweets, each one costumed to fit the theme. The mere sight of the cookies will get everyone’s adrenaline flowing; the tastes of pumpkin, cinnamon, and other seasonal spices will only quicken the pace.

Conjure up even more excitement with imaginative cookie games. For a round of “Bite the Bat,” suspend gingerbread bats from above; then blindfold the kids and give each a spin, along with the challenge to bite as many bat wings as they can. Or turn the game into a group crafting project. Set up work stations in a nearby room and show guests how to make striking mobiles and tabletop trees with branches and cookies.

As the party draws to a close, dole out empty apothecary jars or inexpensive trick-ortreat bags and ask guests to pick their poison from among the cookie remains. No matter the container, remember to have plenty on hand—as everyone knows, an overdose of cookies is a great way to go.

Cause to Celebrate: Halloween, an October birthday or anniversary, All Saints’ Day, the full moon, a harvest celebration.

Counterclockwise from upper left, Candy Corn Cookies, Spider Truffles, Chocolate-Nut Cobweb Cookies, Friendly Ghosts, and Great Pumpkin Cookies. Gingerbread also shows up as tombstones, ghosts, a moon, and a bat-infested house. Not pictured: Eye Candy and Witches’ Fingers.

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DECK THE HALLS ’T

is the season to be jolly. Yet ’tis also the time for whirlwind entertaining. If you’re hosting a swap this season, it’s more important than ever to express your gratitude for the work guests will do. Pats on the back are great, of course, but a party full of distinctive touches is an even better present to give in return.

Take this swap’s thoughtful lead as an example. To help guests with the season’s baking, the party details and recipes are ironed onto dish towels to make novel—and useful— invitations. At the front door, guests are welcomed with a gingerbread wreath bearing a message of yuletide joy. Inside, the cookie table shimmers in soft green and gold, setting off a dramatic centerpiece of sugar cookie “trees”—star-shaped cutouts stacked high on candlesticks. Surrounding this enchanted forest is a luscious terrain of rock candy and cookie snowballs, frosted lavishly with powdered sugar. Gingerbread snowflakes, glittering with edible gold powder and beads, descend in a flurry from overhead, while scattered gingerbread votives complete the cookie look by warming up the wintry scene.

The holiday baking theme continues through to the final favor. Pastry blenders outfitted with cookie recipes are presented to guests on an antique wire dish rack. What guests can’t take in at the party, they fortunately get to take home. Gingerbread boxes filled with surplus cookies extend the pleasure of this rare and memorable holiday gift.

Cause to Celebrate: Christmas; Hanukkah; a winter anniversary, wedding, or birthday; to beat the winter doldrums; to ring in the New Year.

Counterclockwise from upper left, Chocolate–Peanut Butter Yule Logs, Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti, Gingersnap Thumbprints with Cranberry-Apricot Filling, Eggnog Cheesecake Streusel Bars, Golden Fruitcake Nuggets, Hot Buttered Rum Meltaways (center), and anise-scented sugar cookie “trees.”

Not pictured: Cocoa-Date Fruitcake Nuggets. (See page 149 for the anise variation of Signature Sugar Cookie Dough.)

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­cookie-­ cutter ­ pproaches a T

3. Using an electric mixer (see “Stand-in” below) fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat on medium to medium-high speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing. Add the vanilla extract and any additional flavorings, and mix well.

his chapter includes nine simple and infinitely adaptable cookie and icing recipes—the very classics that appear time and time again in my cookie swaps and in different variations throughout this book.

4. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the dry ingredients, blending just until incorporated. Stir in the nuts.

Basic Biscotti

5. On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into 2 (3 x 8-inch) rectangular loaves, each about ¾ inch thick. Place the loaves 4 to 5 inches apart on one cookie sheet and bake until slightly golden around the edges, about 30 minutes. Do not overbake, or the dough may crack upon cutting in the next step.

Makes 2 to 2½ dozen (1 x 4½-inch) biscotti When I am need of a distinctive cookie, biscotti are a great pick. Tall and crunchy, they are a welcome contrast to soft and stout bar and drop cookies.

Complexity:

1

Active Time:

Type: Hand-shaped

Prep Talk: Store in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week.

2¼ cups all-purpose flour 1½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (increase to 2 teaspoons if you do not add other flavorings) Additional flavorings, if desired ½ to 1 cup nuts of choice, chopped 1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

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2. Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside for use in Step 4.

6. Slide the loaves, one at a time, onto a cutting board and immediately slice into ½-inch-thick cross sections. (Do not cool for more than a few minutes, as the dough will be more likely to crack.) Reline the cookie sheet with parchment paper.

7. Lay the slices cut side down on the two cookie sheets and return the first sheet to the oven. Bake 13 to 15 minutes, flipping the cookies once or twice during baking to promote even browning. When done, the biscotti should be light brown and quite firm. Immediately transfer to wire racks and cool completely before storing. (The biscotti will become even crisper upon cooling.) Repeat with the remaining sheet of biscotti.

Stand-in • While I personally rely on the horsepower of an electric stand mixer for most cookie recipes, every recipe in this book can be prepared with a hand-held electric mixer or by hand. You may have to work harder or longer, but the results will still be tasty.

Shortbread, Straight Up

Makes about 2½ dozen (2¼- to 2½-inch) cookies A buttery blank canvas, shortbread shows off any flavor to the fullest.

Substitute other nuts for the almonds, or mix in herbs, citrus zest, or chopped dried fruit—whatever suits your party theme best.

Complexity:

Active Time:

Type:

1

Rolled

Prep Talk: The dough must be chilled 1 to 2 hours before rolling and cutting. The dough can be frozen up to 1 month with minimal loss of flavor if wrapped tightly in plastic and then foil. Store baked cookies in airtight containers at room temperature no longer than 2 weeks.

2 cups all-purpose flour, divided ½ cup blanched slivered almonds ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened ¼ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup sifted powdered sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract About 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for sprinkling) 1. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process 2 tablespoons flour and the almonds until the nuts are finely ground but not pasty.

Add the remaining flour and salt, and process until well combined.

Set aside for use in Step 2.

2. Place the butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to bring the ingredients together; then beat on medium to medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the vanilla extract. Gradually add the flour mixture, blending just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.

FAQ: Why, when, and how should nuts and seeds be toasted?

Toasting nuts and seeds brings their essential oils to the surface and enhances their flavor. For relatively long-baking recipes, such as Basic Biscotti (opposite), there’s no need to toast these items in advance since they’ll toast in the course of cookie baking. However, for short-baking cookies and bars where the nuts or seeds are buried in the interior, these goodies are best toasted before they go into the batter. To toast, simply spread the nuts (preferably whole) or seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet and set in a preheated 375 degree F oven. Bake until fragrant and lightly browned, watching closely and tossing occasionally to avoid burning. Small seeds will toast in a matter of a few minutes.

5. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to a ¼-inch thickness. Cut with a 2¼- to 2½-inch round, oval, or other cookie cutter. Using an offset spatula (see “FAQ” on p. 146), carefully transfer the cookies to the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

6. Sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly over the cookie tops to thinly coat them. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom and firm to the touch. Immediately transfer to wire racks with an offset spatula to prevent breakage. Cool completely before storing.

Brown Sugar– Pecan Sweethearts (p. 25), a Shortbread, Straight Up variation

3. Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, or until firm enough to roll without sticking.

4. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line two or more cookie sheets with parchment paper.

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M

x

D. Blümchen & Company blumchen.com 866-653-9627

x

(wide range of boxes and baskets)

(boxes only, including nested egg boxes)

Designer Stencils designerstencils.com 302-475-7300 / 800-822-7836

x

(custom options available)

x

x

x

x

gumballs.com 888-860-6506

House on the Hill, Inc. houseonthehill.net 630-279-4455 / 877-279-4455 Kitchen Collectables kitchengifts.com 888-593-2436 Nature’s Flavors naturesflavors.com 714-744-3700

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Wafer paper

(wide range, including citrus oils)

Craft Supplies Online craft-supplies-online.com 800-999-9513

H. O. Foose Tinsmithing Co. foosecookiecutters.com 610-944-1960

Sugarcoated edible flowers

x

Boyajian boyajianinc.com 781-828-9966 / 800-965-0665

Fancy Flours fancyflours.com 406-587-0118

Stencils

Springerle molds and rolling pins

Specialty oils and other flavorings

Specialty extracts

Soft gel food coloring

Royal icing flowers and decorations

Papier-mâché boxes, pots, and baskets

Luster dust

Lavender flowers

Gumballs

Food-safe markers

Fondant

Dishers (aka cookie scoops)

Decorative do-dads, i.e., nonpareils, dragées, and sanding sugar

Cotton candy

Cookie cutters

Resources

any of the cookie tools and decorations listed here can be found in kitchenware and cake decorating supply stores. If your local suppliers don’t bear fruit, my favorite online sources, below, are a sure bet.

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

(wide range)

x (wide range, plus DIY cookie cutter–making kits)

x x

(custom options available)

x x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

(citrus and cinnamon oils, rosewater)

x

x

(wide range of both molds and pins)

x

(natural cinnamon flavoring)

x (wide range of organic options, including cinnamon and pistachio)

x (wide range of organic options, including hazelnut, cinnamon, and citrus flavoring)

x

OK Manufacturing, LLC gumballs.net 801-974-9116 / 800-748-5480

x

Penzeys Spices penzeys.com 800-741-7787

x

Silver Cloud Estates silvercloudestates.com 410-484-4526

(wide range, including cinnamon and hazelnut)

(wide range, including natural pistachio flavoring)

Stencil Planet stencilplanet.com 908-771-8967 / 877-836-2457

x

(custom options available)

x

Surfas Restaurant and Supply surfasonline.com 310-559-4770 / 866-799-4770

x

x

x

x x

x

x x

x

x

x

x

(wide range, including coffee)

x

x

(rosewater)

Sweetfields sweetfields.com 760-522-3422 / 877-987-9338

The Spice House thespicehouse.com 312-274-0378 Vanilla, Saffron Imports saffron.com 415-648-8990

x

x

(plain paper only)

x

The Bernod Group bernod.com 661-295-9833 The Cookie Cutter Shop thecookiecuttershop.com 360-652-3295

Wafer paper

x x

Papa John’s Peanuts, Inc. papajohnspeanuts.biz 866-757-6887

Sweet Celebrations sweetc.com 800-328-6722

Sugarcoated edible flowers

x

Stencils

x

Springerle molds and rolling pins

Soft gel food coloring

Royal icing flowers and decorations

Papier-mâché boxes, pots, and baskets

Luster dust

Lavender flowers

Gumballs

Food-safe markers

Fondant

Dishers (aka cookie scoops)

x

Specialty oils and other flavorings

(custom options available)

Specialty extracts

x

Decorative do-dads, i.e., nonpareils, dragées, and sanding sugar

Cotton candy

Cookie cutters Off the Beaten Path cookiecutter.com 816-415-8827 / 866-756-6543

x x

(wide range)

x

x (coffee)

x (rosewater)

x

(wide range, including pistachio)

157

$19.99 U.S.

Cookie Swap

About the Author

Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year

Julia M. Usher is a celebrated pastry chef and food writer who has designed extraordinary desserts for such magazines as Better Homes and Gardens, Fine Cooking, Bon Appétit, and Modern Bride, and such books as Vera Wang on Weddings and For the Love of Food. Usher is a former Contributing Editor at Chocolatier magazine, a James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards finalist, and a Direc­tor of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). She divides her time between St. Louis, Missouri, and Stonington, Maine.

Steve Adams loves making beautiful photos of all kinds of food and beverages for companies like Nestlé, Anheuser-Busch, Bacardi, Panera, and Kraft. Steve is active in IACP and the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) and has taught studio photography at the university level and the Maine Media Workshops. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri.

This creative book has become my new gold-standard guide to cookie decorating. Julia Usher’s whimsical designs and ideas make this book as fun as it is informative.

Usher

— Tish Boyle, Editor, Dessert Professional and author of

The Good Cookie

Julia Usher’s over-the-top cookies and detailed, theme-inspired swaps promise joyful sharing and sweet memories for year-round entertaining.

— Flo Braker, author of Baking for All Occasions, The Simple Art of Perfect Baking, and Sweet Miniatures

Cover design by Jocelyn Foye Cover photos © 2009 Steve Adams

Julia Usher’s gorgeous and doable ideas inspire us not only to trade cookies at holiday time but the whole year through. Filled to the brim with mouthwatering recipes and delectable photographs, Cookie Swap is a sweet treat to savor and celebrate.

— Nancy Wall Hopkins, Deputy Food and Entertaining Editor, Better Homes and Gardens

Entertaining/cookbook

Cookie Swap

Julia M. Usher

Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year Julia M. Usher Photographs by Steve Adams

Photographs by Steve Adams

Cookie Swap

Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year

Cookie swaps are not just for Christmas anymore! Cookie Swap: Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year shows that the cookie swap is perfectly suited not only to holiday gatherings but also to garden parties, showers, children’s birthdays, summer get-togethers, and more. A cookie swap has all the same traits that make a potluck so effortless to host. Plus, the idea of a party all about cookies is simply irresistible, no matter what the season.

As talented baker Julia M. Usher reveals, cookies are infinitely adaptable to different party themes and times of year, resulting in scores of delightful possibilities. Among Cookie Swap ’s eight parties are a kids’ summer bash, with Lemonade Slices and Chocolate Chip Watermelon ­Wedges; a spooky Halloween fest, featuring Witches’ ­Fingers and Friendly Ghosts; and a classic Christmas swap with Hot Buttered Rum Meltaways, Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti, and Eggnog Cheesecake Streusel Bars.

With dozens of decorating and invitation ideas, over 50 delectable recipes, mouthwatering photos, and tips on hosting the best swap possible, Cookie Swap will inspire readers to make the sharing of cookies the centerpiece of every event.